


Lance Strongbow Appreciation Week 2021

by WhiteCatInDisguise



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 4,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28947174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteCatInDisguise/pseuds/WhiteCatInDisguise
Summary: A series of oneshots about Lance. The man deserves recognition. You can fight me on that.
Relationships: Angry | Keira & Red | Catalina & Lance Strongbow, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Lance Strongbow, Lance Strongbow & Varian, Rapunzel & Lance Strongbow
Comments: 26
Kudos: 55





	1. Arnwaldo Schnitz

He never liked his name. It sounded wrong said out loud, even if it was his birth name. 

He hated it back in the orphanage, when every kid made fun of him. They said it sounded like a crazy old man's name. They said it was the reason nobody ever considered adopting him. Because of his name. 

Eugene was the first to understand his struggle. He was the first one to stand up for him. And he was the first one to suggest taking up a different one. 

He never considered it, to be honest. Never thought he could be anyone else than  **that name** . He was always called by  **that name** , in a mocking and awful way. 

He didn't even know where to start. How does one choose a name? There were so many, but none sounded right to him. How did parents make it seem so easy, to choose a name?

Again, it was Eugene who came up with the perfect one. He took it from the book series he loved. A hero's sidekick. Lance Strongbow. It had a nice ring to it. 

He no longer was  **that name** . He was Lance Strongbow. A world-known thief. A traveller. A charismatic persona. Lance Strongbow was everything  **that name** was not. 

And yet… he felt alien. Lance Strongbow was him, and yet he was not. He tried to understand this feeling, and when this didn't work, he tried to mute it, to burrow it under everything Lance Strongbow  **was** . 

And then he met Angry and Red. Helped them get on the right track. Then, he met them again, as Kiera and Catalina. He felt at place with them. He felt at home. 

After the battle with Zhan Tiri, he adopted the girls. They were family now. He couldn't be more happier. 

And yet, something was off. Something was missing. Something wasn't right. 

And then he understood. He was Lance Strongbow. But he also was  **that name** . He tried to get rid of it, but it's part of him. He finally understood that. 

That evening he told the girls. Kiera laughed, just like the kids in the orphanage. It hurt. He thought they would understand, that they will accept  **that name** as part of him. 

Catalina noticed his broken expression and silenced her sister. She came up to him and held his hands in hers. She stared into his eyes. Then she smiled.

"It suits you." She said. 

He smiled and hugged them both, Kiera mumbling out an apology.

"I know." Arnwaldo Schnitz said. 


	2. Fears

"Why are you scared of clowns?" 

Lance froze. It was a simple question. One he should expect, given how he freaked out earlier at the news of the circus coming to the capital. The girls were so excited, talking about different things the circus had. And he was ready to take them. Until they mentioned clowns. 

He shut them down quickly. Too quickly. 

"No clowns!" He shouted, his voice tainted with fear. 

They didn't question it back then, with so many strangers around. But he knew it was coming. He couldn't keep avoiding it forever.

Why are you scared of clowns? It's an easy question. The answer should be easy too. 

His mind spins on its own. Suddenly, he's five again. Parents long gone, left him one day and didn't come back. He doesn't remember their faces anymore. 

It's freezing outside and he has nowhere to go. A circus tent rises in the distance, the material flapping in the wind. Maybe he can hide there, sleep for a couple of hours, then move on. 

The inside isn't much better, but at least the tent stops the wind from entering. He curls around himself in the far corner, under the stands. Out of the view, but close enough to the wall, if he has to run. He doesn't get a chance. 

He's harshly woken up, a painted face glaring at him in fury. He bolts away but an arm shoots forward, grabbing him by the collar. 

"It's not a hotel, brat!" The painted face yells. Lance (no, not Lance yet. Arnwaldo) trembles in fear. He tries to explain but his voice is shaking and barely anything comes out. He has no money, no way to get out of this situation.

"I can sing!" He shrieks in desperation. The painted face, the clown, gives him an unamused glare. He tells him to present. So he does.

The clown looks impressed. His hand still holding Arnwaldo by the collar, he nods and leaves the tent. Says he'll pay up his stay. 

The next days are an awful mix of darkened cabin full of spiders, a clown yelling at him to sing, and his trembling voice sounding in the full tent. 

When the circus moves to another town, he slips away at the first opportunity. He doesn't look back. They don't come searching for him. A small relief. 

He finds himself in the orphanage by the end if the week. At least there are no clowns and no spiders there.

"Dad?" 

Lance blinks and stares at his daughters. The look at him with concern. He flashes one of his signature smiles and ruffles their hair before continuing on the breakfast. 

"Who wants some pancakes?" He asks. 

He doesn't miss the glance exchanged between the girls. He knows he's avoiding the question again. He's not ready. Not yet.


	3. Fatherhood

**Then** : He wakes up around 10-11am, way longer than Eugene, his best friend's bed already empty and done, the man probably busy training with the guards or going somewhere with the Princess. He goes to the castle kitchen and grabs himself something to eat, food almost falling from his full plate. He eats it while sitting in the kitchen, talking to the cooks and discussing various recipes. 

**Now** : He wakes up with the sun and quietly makes his bed and tiptoes towards the kitchen. He turns on the stove and makes a whole batch of pancakes, remembering to refill the syrup and squeeze some more blueberry juice. He wakes up his daughters and, while they eat, makes their beds and cleans the room. He gathers clothes for laundry and sees the girls off, as they go for the morning run through the forest. Only then he lets himself sit down and eat his own breakfast, washing the dishes afterwards.

**Then** : He wanders around the castle grounds and the town, looking for something to do. If it's Monday or Thursday, he goes to the training grounds for  _ Thieves 101  _ with the Royal Guards. Sometimes he goes to Snuggly Duckling, spending time with the guys there. If he's feeling extra bored, he offers help at the bar, to the joy of the patrons. He either stays for lunch, or comes back to the castle.

**Now** : He prepares snacks for the girls to eat when they come back. They grab a bite and are off again, usually to pester Varian. He reminds them to be careful and listen to the teen, receiving a cheerful "Yes, dad" from Catalina, and not so cheerful one from Kiera. He knows they won't listen anyway, but it's a habit by now. If it's Wednesday or Saturday, he goes to the market to buy food and other things they might need for the coming week. Sometimes he visits Quirin. They talk and, if the man needs it, he helps with taking care if the crops. He's gotten exceptionally good with harvesting pumpkins. He goes back home shortly after noon and prepares lunch for when his daughters stumble back home, stomachs growling hungrily.

**Then** : Evenings are calm. He sometimes wanders around the town or castle garden, listening to the sounds of Corona preparing to sleep. Eugene comes back to their room after saying goodnight to the princess and they spend next few hours talking, playing cards and remembering their adventures from the times there was Flynn Rider. They finally fall asleep around midnight, Eugene putting his night mask on, something he always makes fun of. 

**Now** : The evenings are dedicated to family time. They tell stories, play games or bake together. When the sun sets, he ushers the girls to the bathroom, a battle now out of habit than anything else. Sometimes he is victorious, and other times he gives in and allows for yet another hour before it all starts again. Clean and fed, the girls lay in beds and he spins a tale of Flynn Rider and Lance Strongbow, two thieves taking from the rich and giving… to themselves, mostly. The girls fall asleep in the middle of the story and he kisses them both on the foreheads, before tiptoeing out. He cleans the treehouse, makes sure he has everything prepared for the breakfast another day, takes a quick shower and is fast asleep way past midnight.

**Then** : He's Lance Strongbow living for himself.

**Now** : He's Arnwaldo Schnitz living for his family


	4. Bonding with Rapunzel

He and princess were never close. He wasn't her fiance, like Eugene, nor his best friend like Cassandra. He wasn't her family, and, frankly, he didn't know exactly were did he stand with Rapunzel. Hell, even Varian had some kind of relationship with her, something like adoptive siblings. But he? He was neither her close friend, nor complete stranger. 

He knew the princess saw him as a friend. She did that to most of the people she interacted with on a daily basis and weren't her family or servants (Cassandra was an exception though). But he never really had any bonding moment with Rapunzel, nothing to make him feel they had this _something_ between them. Whatever that was.

That's why he was surprised when she suddenly asked him to go with her to the market in another town. 

Granted, Eugene's birthday were coming up soon and she needed his help in finding the right present. After all, he was the one who knew him the longest. Didn't change the fact he was now sitting awkwardly on a cart next to the princess, Max steadily pulling it towards their goal. 

He should say something, break this awkward silence before it suffocates him. But any conversation starter he came up with sounded blunt and weird. 

"So…" Rapunzel sounded to his right and he shot a glance at her. 

She was playing with the hem of her skirt, fingers fiddling nervously. She looked sideways towards him and when she noticed him staring, they both looked away, embarrassed. 

Way to go, Lance. You made it even more awkward than it already was.

Rapunzel chuckled and he stole a glance in her direction. 

"This is awkward, isn't it?" She asked, rubbing the back of her neck. 

"I'm sorry." He said before he could even stop himself. Her head shot up in surprise.

"For what?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "I just-" He made a vague motion with his hand as if it would explain what he meant. It didn't. Not to her, and definitely not to him.

"Don't know what to say?" She asked and smiled a little. He smiled back.

"Yeah."

She nodded and stared up ahead. Her hand moved to pet Pascal perched on her shoulder.

"I messed up." She said, continuing before he had a chance to say anything. "You're Eugene's best friend and I barely talked to you. We spent the whole year on the road together, we fought Zhan Tiri, and all I know about you is you took your name from the book, just like Eugene, you're his friend from the orphanage, were a thief, are afraid of clowns and have a really good singing voice." 

She ran a hand through her hair and sighed. 

"This… I feel awful, because I should have talked to you sooner. I should have tried to get to know you better. And I'm sorry."

"No, no, Princess." Lance puts up his hands defensively. "It's okay."

"It's not." She insists and then smiles. "But that's also the reason I asked you to go with me. Apart from the fact you can help me find the perfect gift for Eugene."

"I… what?" He mumbles, stunned by the exclamation. He did not see that coming. 

"Yeah. So…" She drums her hands on her knees and takes a breath. "What's your favourite food?"

"My favourite-" He laughs, bending forward. "Princess, with all due respect. One: that's a terrible conversation starter." She huffs in response but he cuts off anything she could reply with by raising a finger. "And two: do you really expect me to choose only one?"

Rapunzel laughs and he joins in. The awkward silence is gone. 

Lance smiles as he listens to the princess talking about how she used to sneak out every night on her birthday back in the tower to watch the lanterns. 

Yes, they don't have this _something_ between them. Not yet. But they are getting there.


	5. Prince/King

Lance doesn't know what to think, when Eugene reveals his royal heritage. His best buddy, comrade, accomplice, childhood friend… is a prince? 

It's enough he's changed once he met Rapunzel, who turned out to be the Lost Princess and Flynn stopped being Flynn and went back to being Eugene, acting like he owns the place. (From what he's heard from Cassandra, anyway. He wasn't acting like that when he arrived.)

Now, it turns out he's not only the princess' boyfriend but also  **a prince** ? Whose  **real name** is _ Horace _ ? 

Okay, that last one is pretty funny and he's going to be making fun of that for the next couple of weeks, but that's not the point. 

The point is, he doesn't know Eugene like he thought he does. Yes, true, Eugene didn't know he was a prince either. But still, the point stands. 

Lance thought he knew Flynn, but then turned a new leaf, stopped stealing and started calling himself Eugene Fitzherbert again. And it wasn't a trick or a scheme to get into the castle, but a true change. 

Don't get him wrong. Lance was happy for him. He was happy Flynn-now-Eugene found love and was living a great life. He was happy for him. But he wasn't expecting it. 

And just when he got used to Flynn-now-Eugene-princess'-boyfriend, he changes again into Eugene-now-Horace-prince-of-Dark-Kingdom. So, excuse him for getting lost.

And even Eugene noticing his despair and reassuring, that he's "still same old Eugene" doesn't help much. But he puts on a brave face, plasters a smile and replies with "I know", because that's what his buddy needs to hear. 

And who knows, maybe he's overreacting, and maybe Eugene won't change. He really hopes so. Because if he goes and changes again, then Lance really doesn't know what he's going to do.


	6. "The Original Strikers"

"Tell us about The Original Strikers." 

Two pairs of big pleading eyes stare at him as he picks up the empty mugs, the hot chocolate already drank. 

He smirks and turns, a cocky grin on his face. 

"Ohoho, you're up for quite a story." He says and smiles as the girls set themselves comfortable on their beds. He takes a breath and begins.

_There once were two boys, orphans both of them, having no one in this world but each other. One of them was charismatic, always finding a way to smooth-talk anyone. The other was shy and refrained, but always caring for his friend._

_The orphanage was hard. The lady running it was mean for the children. They had to work hard everyday, wear battered clothes and barely got anything to eat._

_When the boys were twelve, they finally had enough. One night they sneaked out of the orphanage and ran away, as far as possible._

_But life outside the orphanage wasn't any better. Back there, they at least had a roof to hide under and food to put into stomachs. On the streets there was nowhere to hide from the rain, and food was hard to come by._

_The charismatic boy suggested they steal what they need to survive. The other boy was against it at first, but quickly learned to understand they didn't have much choice. So steal they did._

_At first they were pretty bad at it. They made mistakes, got caught a couple of times. But, in time, they gradually got better and better._

_"We need new names." Said the charismatic boy one day. "Something that will make people take us more seriously."_

_"Like what?" Asked the other boy. The first one thought for a moment._

_"I'll be Flynn Rider, like the one from the books." He announced proudly._

_"Wasn't he a hero?" The other boy pointed out and his friend huffed._

_"Well, yeah. I'll be a hero, too. I'll steal from the rich and give to the poor." He said._

_"But if we give it to the poor, we won't have enough for us." The shy one noticed. The other boy laughed._

_"Not if we keep it. We're poor too, after all."_

_"So if you're Flynn Rider, who can I be?"_

_The Flynn Rider thought for a moment._

_"You'll be Lance Strongbow, Flynn's best friend." He announced._

_"Okay." Lance Strongbow agreed._

_So they became Flynn Rider and Lance Strongbow. Over time they got so good at stealing, they could do it with their eyes closed and one hand behind their backs._

_"You know how they call us, Flynn?" Lance said one day, as they sat in their hideout, dividing the loot._

_"What?" Flynn asked, collecting his share into a small bag._

_"The Strikers." Came the reply._

_Flynn mused about the name then smirked._

_"It's catchy. I like it." He decided._

_"Me too." Lance agreed._

Lance stops speaking, noticing both of the girls sleeping soundly in their beds. He smiles and covers them properly, remembering to give each a kiss to the forehead. 

"Goodnight, girls." He whispers, as he tiptoes out of the bedroom.


	7. AU

Lance swiftly dodged the slash, metal harmlessly bumping off his arm plate. He smirked and hit the extended arm with his elbow, earning a painted yelp. Without stopping, he used the momentum to grab the same arm and pull on it, bringing his opponent closer. He forced their arm to bend at the elbow and pushed it behind their back, the strength of his grip making them let go of the sword. He pushed his own blade against the opponent's throat and grinned.

"Dead." He announced, earning a groan in response. 

"That's unfair. I wasn't ready." The brown-haired man complained and Lance shook his head laughing.

"We're practicing surprise attacks, Your Highness. You should always be ready." He replied letting go of the man's arm and reaching for the fallen sword. "Your father expects me to train you."

"What if I don't want to fight? Maybe I want to try the more peaceful approach?" The man asked, rubbing his arm. "And I already told you to call me Horace when we're alone."

Lance sighed and sheathed his own weapon.

"Look, you can't always rely in your negotiation skills. You have to be able to defend yourself." He said, face scrunched in worry. 

"That's what I have you, Lance." Prince Horace patted him on the shoulder and grinned. "You always have my back."

"And what if I can't get to you on time? Or if there are more enemies?" Lance asked, staring down at the Brotherhood symbol pinned to his chest, the clip holding his cape in place. "I am your bodyguard, but even I'm not invincible. 

Horace slumped and started playing with his sword, digging its tip into the ground. Lance shot him a reprimanding glare and the man smiles sheepishly. 

"I'm sorry, it's just-" He lifts blade, staring at his reflection in the metal. "I guess the coronation tomorrow stresses me out. I don't think I'm ready to rule."

"It's just a formality. You turning eighteen, it's a tradition for princes and princesses to be officially crowned on tha day of their 18th birthday." Lance explained shrugging. "Besides, no one expects you to actually rule just yet. Your father is still the king and he doesn't show any signs of stepping down anytime soon"

"Thank the Moon." Hotace mumbled under his breath. The dark-skinned man smiled. 

"Hey, I heard the Royal Family from Corona is coming for the coronation. Apparently, they have a very beautiful daughter." He winked and playfully bumped Horace's shoulder. Said man smiled slightly.

"Are you trying to hook me up with her?" He asked and Lance laughed in response. 

"Who? Me? Nooo…" He grinned at him. "But, if by any chance you two **do** hit off, I want a recognition."

"You didnt even do anything.." The prince chuckled and Lance gasped.

"You wound me, my liege." He moaned, putting a hand over his heart in fake hurt. They both laughed at that.

"God, I hope Varian doesn't blow up anything tomorrow. The kid always tries too hard." Horace said between the chuckles. 

"How about we go see if he isn't planning anything too life-threatening after we finish?" Lance suggested and the other man nodded.

"Sounds good." He agreed. 

"Well then." The Brotherhood member unsheathed his sword and got into the fighting stance." Again."


	8. Free Day

"Lance, for the hundredth time, stop poking at my equipment!" 

The said man laughed awkwardly and put his hands behind his back with an innocent expression on his face. 

Varian glared at him before turning back to his work desk. Lance stared at the teen's back and shuffled his feet. He looked around the room, trying to find something to occupy himself that wouldn't make the alchemist angry again. He started whistling silently, observing how the younger worked. 

Varian sighed in defeat and turned his head towards the man. 

"Fine, you can help." He said and Lance squealed in joy. " **But-** " The teen put up a finger to stop the overexcited male. "-you have to do  **everything** I tell you  **exactly** how I tell you. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir!" Lance saluted, a large grin on his face. Varian shook his head, but was smiling too. "So what do you want me to do, little man?"

"Take these two compounds, and pour them into this container." The alchemist instructed, handing him two vials, one with the blue liquid inside, the other with yellow, and pointed at the beaker hanging over a burner. "Make sure you don't spill any. They are highly acidic."

Lance nodded and carefully took the vials, pouring their content gently into the larger beaker. In the meantime, Varian was mixing another compound, consulting his notes once in a while. The teen looked up and saw Lance finished his task without destroying anything and he smiled approvingly.

"Now, boil it to exactly 89.5 degrees of Celsius, no more, no less. There is a thermometer on the shelf behind you." He said. 

Lance did as he was asked, making sure to follow Varian's instructions to the letter. He was excited the alchemist finally let him help and he didn't want to ruin their work. 

He was dripping yet another compound into the boiling beaker, five drops, no more, when he noticed Varian staring at him. He put in the last drop and looked back at the teen.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked, worried he made a mistake. 

Varian stared at him for a while longer, before blinking and shaking his head. 

"Huh? No. You actually did everything correctly." The alchemist replied with a stunned expression. "I'm actually surprised."

"I cook, Varian. I know how important it is to follow instructions precisely." The man pointed put and Varian smiled in return. 

"I guess you're right. I just, uh-" He rubbed the back of his neck, an embarrassed blush on his cheeks. "-I guess I was expecting you to mess up. Sorry."

"I guess I do give away clumsy vibes." Lance laughed in response. "Don't worry, little man. You didn't upset me."

"Good. I was worried I did." Varian smiled. "Anyway, we're almost ready. If you just give me the compound, I'll take it from there."

The man obediently turned off the burner and, using tongs, passed the hot beaker to the alchemist. The teen accepted it with a nod and poured it carefully into the longitudinal container. He sealed the top and tipped it, to make sure it was secure.

"Now, let's check if it works." Varian said and approached the window, pulling the curtains close and drowning the room in darkness. 

Well, not a total darkness. The container on his workbench glowed in a soft red light, a small bubbles of air moving slowly through the liquid. Varian grinned at the sight, the face mirrored by Lance. 

"Looks amazing! I'm sure Catalina will love it." The man said, as Varian pulled the curtains open, the afternoon sun shining inside. 

"Thanks for your help, Lance." The alchemist replied, passing the lamp to the man. "It was actually kinda fun, working together. We should do this again."

"Sure thing." Lance agreed. "Maybe next time you can come to my place and we cook something?"

"That would be amazing." Varian smiled. "Tell Catalina Happy Birthday from me."

"I will." Lance replied as he turned to leave. "Until next time, Varian."

"Until next time."


End file.
